Connect with Us

16-year-old who shot his younger brother will be charged as adult | UPDATE

A 12-year-old boy was shot in the face, likely by his brother, Monday night while the siblings were wrestling, Bellevue police said.

— image credit: Craig Groshart, Bellevue Reporter

UPDATE

The 16-year-old boy who shot his brother in the face on Jan. 31 will face charges as an adult. King County prosecutors have charged the boy with second-degree assault, enhanced by use of a firearm, and unlawful possession of a firearm.

If convicted, Adrian Flores Maldonado faces three-and-a-half to four years in prison. Arraignment is scheduled for February 17 at 9 a.m. at the Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center. The defendant remains in custody on $250,000 bail as the investigation continues.

A 12-year-old boy is in serious condition at Harborview Medical Center after he was shot in the face by his 16-year-old brother during an argument over a video game Monday evening.

The boys were arguing over who could use the game when the 16-year-old pulled out a gun with the intention of intimidating the younger brother, Bellevue police said.

The younger brother put the older one in a headlock. The older brother freed himself and went to his bedroom and got a gun. He allegedly pulled the trigger and the younger boy was hit in the face.

"We were just play-fighting when the gun went off," the older boy said in court documents.

The boy was arrested for first-degree attempted manslaughter shortly after the incident. He was taken to and held at the King County Youth Center.

The older boy faced a juvenile hearing Wednesday. King County had to decide whether or not to file charges by Feb. 3.

According to court documents, the older boy brought the gun to Interlake High School the previous day, and it was loaded. The older boy told police he hid the Ruger nine millimeter weapon under his bed without unloading it. He said he forget it was loaded during the situation with his brother when he pulled the trigger.

Police learned that the boy bought the gun illegally. He claims to have gang affiliations. He said he purchased the weapon in December from an 18-year-old fellow gang member. The situation occurred at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the 12th Place Condos, at the 16200 Block of Northeast 12th Court. Officers responded to a report of a boy with blood coming from his mouth and face. Bellevue Police Lt. Marcia Harnden said a language barrier eroded the call before a dispatcher who spoke Spanish became involved.

When officers found the boy, he was rushed to Harborview because of concerns that his airway was blocked.

We encourage an open exchange of ideas on this story's topic, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. Personal attacks, inappropriate language, and off-topic comments may be removed, and comment privileges revoked, per our Terms of Use. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.